{"product_id":"the-proving-ground-9781612181431","title":"The Proving Ground","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this 10th Anniversary edition, with a new afterword from the author, G.Bruce Knecht tells the harrowing story of a world-renowned sailing race gone fatally bad.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn December 26, 1998, 115 sailboats crossed the starting line of the famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. The 630-nautical-mile contest is among the most difficult races in the world, a test of strength and endurance like few others. But no one could have foreseen the tragedy that would befall the competitors, who sailed into a massive storm that tore apart the fleet with hurricane-force winds and eighty-foot waves. What began as a race for glory rapidly became a fight for survival. In this gripping insider's account, award-winning writer G. Bruce Knecht focuses on three yachts and their crews, weaving together an extraordinary story with vivid detail, outsized personalities, and high drama. Most importantly, he offers a glimpse into how people with very different backgrounds responded to something bigger than they were--and how it changed them forever. Hailed as \"harrowing\" by the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \"pulse-pounding\" by \u003ci\u003ePeople\u003c\/i\u003e magazine, and \"the Perfect Storm of blue-water sailboat racing\" by Walter Cronkite, \u003ci\u003eThe Proving Ground\u003c\/i\u003e is a true-to-life adventure tale as thrilling as any work of fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Amazon Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50360150622482,"sku":"9781612181431","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_5d71655f-f7e8-401f-bcbf-4718367d1cf4.jpg?v=1728359928","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-proving-ground-9781612181431","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}